I’m not talking about extreme diets or radical changes in lifestyle but simple “tweaks” to your daily routine that can generate noticeable improvements in your physical and emotional health.

Of course such a claim initially evokes skepticism until one remembers that a fundamental premise of holistic medicine is that the body is designed to heal itself. In fact, the body is constantly regenerating to such an extent that 98 percent of its atoms are replaced each year.

When you consider this premise, the immediate question that arises is, “What does the body need in order to function as it is designed?”

Many of the symptoms and conditions we face result from years of habitually interrupting or sabotaging our body’s natural healing cycle without even knowing we are doing so.

For example, most people are unaware that the human body has an ideal cycle of activity and replenishment that occurs every 90 to 120 minutes, called The Ultradian Healing Response by Dr. Ernest Rossi.

When we override our natural healing cycle with stimulants such as caffeine and sugar, “we experience many psychosomatic symptoms of the Ultradian Stress Response” such as headaches, hypertension, pain, ulcers, anxiety and depression among others.

When we learn to recognize the signs that “we are getting too high on our stress hormones (eg. cortisol, adrenaline) and we need to take a healing break” we support the natural healing cycle of the body.

• Depriving our system of adequate oxygen for optimal health through habitual shallow breathing
• Depriving our system of sufficient pure water to hydrate the cells
• Ingesting disruptive toxins into our system with processed foods
• Eating foods that create an acidic environment, which support diseases
• Depriving our body of the essential nutrients it needs to function as it is designed to.

While most of us are aware we “need to drink more water,” for example, we don’t understand the cumulative impact of neglecting the various factors that support the self-healing process, the foundation of our health.

The good news is that there is another way. When we stop sabotaging and start actively supporting the body’s self-healing process, our health, indicated by our energy level and sense of well-being, can improve dramatically.

Some simple improvements you can begin today include:

• Breathe deeply into your lungs and belly for a few minutes several times a day to oxygenate your cells
• Add locally available “superfoods” to your diet, such as spriulina, maca root, astragalus and others that will strengthen your immune system, regulate hormonal balance and increase anti-oxidant production
• Learn how to control the mental factors that can override your “genetic predisposition” to specific diseases
• Learn how to physically stimulate your immune system and increase your energy and alertness on demand with simple “activation techniques” from the new field of Energy Medicine
• Adopt an easy-to-use method to release old, unconscious emotional patterns from your body’s energy system whenever they arise.

While these techniques and “tweaks” are simple to learn and apply, their real power is synergistic. Making just a few of these small changes to your daily routine will cause you to feel better very quickly. These beneficial results will inspire you to make a few more improvements, and so the journey to better health continues.

This is how you start a self-regenerating cycle of simple steps that quickly lead to profound improvements in your health and your life, one small step at a time.

The essence of the paradigm of holistic health is self-empowerment. You already possess the power to play a proactive role in continually improving your physical and emotional well-being. Your choice is whether or not you will embrace your power.

Makari Ishaya is a former medical doctor who offers an integrated holistic approach to health. She specializes in Natural Pain Relief and Health Coaching for individuals and groups in San Miguel. To learn more about her work, and to contact her, please visit her website: www.healthyinsma.wordpress.com or call 152-8241.